'Pun-based comedy is quite a British thing' says Comedy Festival boss ahead of UK Pun Championships

PUN ALERT: Ladies, if he can’t appreciate your fruit jokes, you need to let that mango.

If you thought today was a normal Monday, think again!

As part of the Leicester Comedy Festival this month, today brings the return of the UK Pun Championships.

Held at De Montfort Hall, it's a celebration of the great British pun featuring contestants from across the UK.

The competition has sold out for the past six years and is a culmination of #UKPunDay.

Comedian Richard Pulsford, who was last years winner, continues to share daily puns on his social media.

PUN ALERT: To the guy who invented zero, thanks for nothing.

This year, the Leicester Comedy Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary.

ITV Central reporter Jane Hesketh spoke with Geoff Rowe, the founder of the festival, who is stepping down as CEO:

Geoff said: I suppose my memory of those years is that it was enormous fun and organising it as well, it didn't feel like a business.

"It didn't feel like were we doing it with any serious gain. It was just a fun thing to do.

He said sometimes they had to tell comedians where Leicester was on the map! But say's that's not the case now.

Talking about the Pun Championships, he said it was a show they developed a number of years ago.

"Literally the idea came up when we were in the pub. Some of the best ideas come from being in the pub.

"We wanted to do something that had national significance. We wanted to do something that was particularly British and pun-based comedy it quite a British thing.

The UK Pun Championships takes place tonight.

PUN ALERT: I don’t trust stairs because they’re always up to something.